Music Teacher's Helper Bloghttp://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog
Tips and Resources for Private Music Teachers and Performers everywhere!Mon, 30 Mar 2015 21:45:25 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.9.3Software Updates – Bigger Text Box for Lesson Notes & Morehttp://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/software-updates-bigger-text-box-for-lesson-notes-more/
http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/software-updates-bigger-text-box-for-lesson-notes-more/#commentsMon, 30 Mar 2015 21:42:16 +0000http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/?p=12469These smaller feature tweaks and fixes announced each week is just a portion of what our programming team spends their time on. The majority of their time is spent working to bring you a much-improved user experience that include new and overhauled features based mostly on member input. We will continue to release these larger […]

These smaller feature tweaks and fixes announced each week is just a portion of what our programming team spends their time on. The majority of their time is spent working to bring you a much-improved user experience that include new and overhauled features based mostly on member input. We will continue to release these larger feature upgrades gradually and be sure to let you know with in-software announcements and emails. Great changes are coming that we know you will be so pleased with.

This week’s feature updates & fixes:

Added the ability to upload multiple files at once to the File Upload area.

Fixed a bug that occurred when copying and pasting events on the calendar.

Fixed some bugs in the display of blocked dates on the calendar.

Corrected a Google Calendar sync issue that occurred for teachers with a high number of events.

Increased the allowed size of the text box for lesson notes on the multiple lesson reconciliation screen.

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http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/music-is-for-life/#commentsSat, 28 Mar 2015 05:10:10 +0000http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/?p=12439By Robin Steinweg How can I impress on my students that music is for life? Few sports can be played into later years. But music is for life. A job might be fulfilling until retirement. Music is for life. I’ve started a master class series in which I’ll invite elderly musicians to share their music […]

How can I impress on my students that music is for life? Few sports can be played into later years. But music is for life. A job might be fulfilling until retirement. Music is for life.

I’ve started a master class series in which I’ll invite elderly musicians to share their music and their stories.

Martha Nelson shares why music is for life

The first was Martha Nelson, a drummer/singer/pianist/accordion player who entertained in all-girl bands in the 1930s, 40s and 50s.

Martha practicing accordion

Martha sang weekly on the Jerry Blake Show for Madison, Wisconsin’s WKOW TV its first year on the air.

Martha Nelson about to sing on WKOW-TV Madison, WI in the 1950s

She passed her music on to her daughters, who are both working musicians (and one of whom is yours truly). She drummed for our family’s dance band through the 1980s.

Martha played several pieces for my students (including the Glenn Miller hit “In the Mood”), and shared the story of how she got her start. She went all the way back to her mother. Grandma planned to travel to the U.S. from Sweden to join her husband. She was booked to sail on the Titanic. But her first-born, my Aunt Vicky, got sick, and they had to wait. Mom told my students their teacher wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for that.

She taught herself piano. One of ten children, her dad brought a drum home one day, handed it to her, and told her that would be her instrument.

Now at 89, she still plays piano and sings. And one can often see her foot going or hear her fingers tapping in true drummer fashion.A year ago she joined me singing in a coffee shop—and I gotta tell you, she’s still got it! Her voice hasn’t really aged. Music helps keep her young.

Yeah, play it!

After Martha’s presentation, my students entertained her. The final song, by Chris, was—“My Heart Will Go On”—the theme from the movie Titanic!

Dane & Chris

Sarah

Ava, Sam & Sara, seated

Music is good for many things: for background, for relaxing, for accompaniment to shopping or working,

for inspiration, entertainment, making a living,

passing on to another generation,

Passing the gift of music on to the next generation and the next…

and enjoying—from the womb till one’s final breath and into eternal life.

]]>http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/music-is-for-life/feed/11What Can You Do in 30 Minutes?http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/what-can-you-do-in-30-minutes/
http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/what-can-you-do-in-30-minutes/#commentsThu, 26 Mar 2015 12:24:41 +0000http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/?p=12402There are so many facets to a musical education; reading, theory, ear training, transposition, repertoire, and on and on. One of my personal frustrations is trying to get students ready to perform in special events without enough lesson time. Is it realistic to think that a teacher can cover all these skills and prepare for […]

There are so many facets to a musical education; reading, theory, ear training, transposition, repertoire, and on and on. One of my personal frustrations is trying to get students ready to perform in special events without enough lesson time. Is it realistic to think that a teacher can cover all these skills and prepare for competitions with just 30 minutes a week with each student? With longer lessons more can be accomplished, but parents may be resistant to increasing the lesson time due to time and financial concerns. However, maybe as teachers we are not presenting a realistic picture of what they are getting for their investment. Below are some thoughts about better defining what can be accomplished over time with various lesson lengths. This is just one example, but perhaps it will encourage you to think about how you define your product.

Piano Basics

30 minute lessons

(number of lessons and tuition appropriate to geographical location)

sight reading

fundamental technique

basic theory

basic study of music structure

Piano Basics is a place for every student to get exposure to the language of music and the fundamental skills involved in learning to play the piano. The student’s understanding of western music’s structure, along with proper playing technique, is developed through the use of the Piano Partners series by Bernard Shaak. Music reading is introduced through the (national reading program). These two books form the core of the curriculum. As the student progresses in ability, other music is brought in to supplement this core based upon the student’s individual interests.

Rising Stars

45 minute lessons + 20 minutes lab time

(number of lessons and tuition appropriate to geographical location)

sight reading

intermediate level technique

intermediate theory

transposition

performance preparation

performance venues

extra music selection

memorization skills

Achievement Day access

As the student progresses and demonstrates an interest in music, and a willingness to dig deeper into the learning, the Rising Stars program will be recommended. At this level the student will be encouraged to learn performance preparation, step up their technical abilities, and dig more deeply into the details of their music. Achievement Day participation is encouraged. Several other performance opportunities will be available throughout the year requiring extra preparation.

For the student who demonstrates exceptional interest and ability, and a willingness to work hard, the Comprehensive Musicianship program provides an amazing foundation in all aspects of becoming a well-rounded pianist. Technique is prioritized, and the student is given a broad palate of musical genres. He or she is encouraged to understand the history of western music and to be able to interpret music in its intended historical style. At this level students are also encouraged to create their own original music, incorporating their knowledge of music structure and patterns. Collaborative efforts are encouraged in the form of duets, playing with a string quartet, and accompaniment of soloists or other instruments. Basic keyboarding and ear training skills are taught so that a student can play from a lead line with a contemporary musical group. Students are encouraged to participate in several judged events throughout the year, and will be expected to develop a personal repertoire list. Group lessons usually involve a second lesson time for the week. Group lessons are alternated with education field trips to meet the total of 10 per year. Field trips involve musical experiences such as a trip to a special music store, or a symphony performance.

]]>http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/what-can-you-do-in-30-minutes/feed/9Using MTH Creatively IX – Drag and Drop!http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/using-mth-creatively-ix-drag-drop/
http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/using-mth-creatively-ix-drag-drop/#commentsWed, 25 Mar 2015 04:57:42 +0000http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/?p=12420DRAG yourself to the beach and DROP onto that lawn chair! Despite how much I love teaching, I genuinely look forward to my time off. After a long January through March with no breaks, I can hardly wait for Spring Break! Do you ever hold lessons for part of a day before a vacation starts, […]

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Despite how much I love teaching, I genuinely look forward to my time off. After a long January through March with no breaks, I can hardly wait for Spring Break!

Do you ever hold lessons for part of a day before a vacation starts, or occasionally cancel some, but not all, lessons on a given day?

Here is a quick and easy way to edit the calendar for a partial day of lessons.

The long way (not suggested):

Click on each individual lesson you will not hold (on a partial day of lessons) and delete each event.

The quick and easy method (highly recommended):

Since MTH has the wonderful “drag and drop” option, simply drag and drop each of the events you wish to cancel to a day when you do not teach (hopefully you have a day off). After you have “dragged and dropped” each of the events you wish to cancel to the day on which you do not have scheduled events, then select the delete all option and they will be erased from your calendar. I find this much quicker than deleting the events one by one.

Option: After you delete lessons which you will not teach on a given day, click the “Block Date” button and no events will be added to that day unless you first “unblock” the day. These lessons on the “blocked date” will still show on the calendar and on invoices.

The drag and drop option is available on a PC but you are not able to drag and drop on an i pad so the best use of this idea will be on a regular computer.

]]>http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/using-mth-creatively-ix-drag-drop/feed/8Software Updates – This and Thathttp://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/software-updates-this-and-that/
http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/software-updates-this-and-that/#commentsMon, 23 Mar 2015 20:45:00 +0000http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/?p=12408We are always working hard behind the scenes to add and edit features, as well as fix minor issues that pop up. This past week we fixed several minor bugs and recently launched an updated file area. This week’s feature updates & fixes: Fixed a bug that input multiple entries of a parent’s payment when […]

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http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/lessons-from-whiplash/#commentsTue, 17 Mar 2015 20:07:21 +0000http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/?p=12395Is there a takeaway for music teachers from the movie Whiplash? **Spoiler alert! If you haven’t seen the film yet, check it out on DVD, and then come back and join the discussion. ** First things first. There’s no doubt that the character of Fletcher is nothing short of mentally ill, but more of that […]

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**Spoiler alert! If you haven’t seen the film yet, check it out on DVD, and then come back and join the discussion. **

First things first. There’s no doubt that the character of Fletcher is nothing short of mentally ill, but more of that later. Let’s look at what the movie can tell us about music and teaching.

One plus is that, for those moviegoers who might think about music the way most of Andrew’s family did in the dinner table scene (hello, politicians and school administrators!), they will get a sense of the hard work, dedication, discipline, precision and the navigation of turbulent waters that goes into becoming a serious musician.

However, we don’t get much joy of music in the film, though some of the music is joyous. Andrew doesn’t seem to feel camaraderie with anyone. This may be due to his personality, but we can see too that the teacher does not set the stage for sociability, camaraderie, or supportiveness. It’s all about testing, obedience, and competition, which certainly rings a bell with American education in general these days. (To be fair, the high school jazz programs I see in our state are competitive but also supportive, demanding yet filled with mutual respect and friendship.)

Is there a place for such a challenging, or even threatening, environment? Fletcher set up a situation where students were not so much seeking an ounce of approval as they were avoiding a pound of abuse. Is this necessary even at the “best music school in the country”, as the school in the film was called?

In conversation with Andrew over drinks, Fletcher reveals the method behind his madness – he wants to forge another Charlie Parker. He feels that “good job” are two of the worst words that could be uttered by teachers because they encourage mediocrity. He cherishes the image of Jones throwing a cymbal at Parker and humiliating him into practicing so hard that he would never be embarrassed again, and as luck would have it, Parker pushed himself to become one of the greats.

Andrew replies with a very reasonable response – isn’t there a line that should not be crossed? He was clearly referring to level of mental and physical abuse that could cause psychological damage. A former student committed suicide, due to what we might call post traumatic stress disorder. Andrew himself could have been killed in a car accident trying to satisfy Fletcher, or at least to not allow Fletcher to win their battle of wills.

I hope no music teacher imitates Fletcher. Have you seen or experienced anything like it? If so, please make a comment below; it would be interesting to hear about whether you found it had any value or explanation.

It’s important to challenge students to some degree, of course. In an earlier blog I wrote about pianist Ernst Bacon’s book, Notes on the Piano, I presented many quotes from his philosophy of music teaching. One of them was, “Too much American teaching is by encouragement, too little by provocation.” In this sense, Bacon might have understood Fletcher’s intentions, if not his methods.

Another quote from Bacon also resonates with the movie: “A great deal of the best teaching is achieved by nonencouragement, even sometimes by outright obstruction.” But his point was that good students need to stretch their own musical and mental as well as physical muscles, so he followed up by explaining that being overly tolerant will leave “to resistant minds no academic crimes to commit…. A good talent needs some sturdy rules upon which to sharpen its claws.” Fletcher had no room for any sharpening of claws unless the student could match his own level of hardness.

Bacon also wrote something quite the opposite of Fletcher. He noted that “the superior teacher…invites rather than compels the student…he is pleased by the emergence of differences.” Fletcher appeared to be all about compelling rather than inviting.

And yet, at the end of the movie, it was clear that Fletcher finally accepted Andrew as being beyond his reach, untouchable by threats or humiliation. As Andrew plays his big solo Fletcher finally gives up challenging him and joins him, conducting the solo and encouraging Andrew to bring the most out of it. They exchange glances that tell us that they have reached a moment of mutual respect.

It’s exciting theater, gripping to the end, full of impending catastrophe and physical and mental threat, but it ends in triumph. The question is, was this triumph enough to justify the means? How many students did Fletcher ruin for life, such as the trombone player he verbally tortured into confessing falsely that he had played out of tune, or Andrew himself who quit playing for a while?

Away from these extremes and back into real music teaching. What is the line Andrew was referring to? Where does challenge become abuse? When is “good job” well worth saying, and not just acquiescing to mediocrity? It would be great to read your opinions, so please write your comments below.

My own opinion is represented in a blog I posted here, called Becoming Great Teachers, about the benefits of experience: that the more experienced and attentive the teacher, the more the teacher is able to understand the source of a student’s good and bad qualities, and the more s/he can guide the student to the next step without merely yelling or intimidating them into working “harder.” In truth, teaching such as Fletcher’s is not about guidance but about motivation, about forcing someone past their obstacles and concerns to create a determination to excel.

Again, Ernst Bacon had something to say here, about talent versus motivation: “The superior artist is not always the one with the largest capacity; he is usually one who has realized what has been given him to the fullest.” But as I’ve said elsewhere, fear is not a long-term motivator. Rare individuals will respond to intimidation in a positive way; others are simply lost along the way. Bringing out the fullest potential in a student is a constructive, not a destructive, task.

Ironically, I feel the American stereotype of the struggling artist matches the vision of Fletcher’s, and perhaps this is why the movie is so popular. Americans tend to imagine that the true artist is so moved by his art that he will excel despite lack of funds, support, food, or respect! As if anyone else who caves in the face of these hardships wasn’t worth it. Fortunately, many of us know better.

Whiplash was a movie about extremes. Fletcher is not, I hope, representative of very many music teachers, though I know a few who are of a military bent and do yell and intimidate students in order to gain control of their students. Fletcher was over the top, though. There’s no indication that he regretted or even was cognizant of the mental and physical abuse he engaged in. There’s no indication that he might not some day commit a serious crime. People such as Fletcher are often so imbued with their mission that they are not rationally aware of their worst offenses. His abuse is really not far from violence committed in the name of any noble goal, whether starving ballet dancers and models to make them thin enough, tearing down new military recruits to foster blind obedience, or destruction and crime done in the name of a religion.

In that sense, Whiplash was about something totally separate from music. And yet, we did gain some serious looks at the dedication of music students, heard some great jazz, and were hit with a lot of questions that are well worth our time, as music teachers, to try to answer.

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http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/file-area-improved/#commentsSat, 14 Mar 2015 17:59:19 +0000http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/?p=12384We’re excited to announce that the file area has been improved and the updated version is now available in your account. Here are the three changes: 1. Drag files from your desktop into the browser window to upload – in addition to clicking the upload button, you can now save time if you have files […]

Warning: DOMDocument::loadHTML() [domdocument.loadhtml]: htmlParseEntityRef: expecting ';' in Entity, line: 1 in /home/admin/wp/wp-content/plugins/hammy/hammy.php on line 116We’re excited to announce that the file area has been improved and the updated version is now available in your account. Here are the three changes:

1. Drag files from your desktop into the browser window to upload – in addition to clicking the upload button, you can now save time if you have files readily available on your desktop by clicking and moving with your mouse to upload.

2. You can now drag and drop to change sort order of the files - adjust the order of your files in seconds by selecting the file you want to move with your mouse and drag it to your desired order.

3. Expand and collapse folder – allows you to only view uploaded files for individual folders instead of all uploaded files. That way, you can choose to have a better visual of just the files you want to see at that moment.

If you have any questions or have any feedback for us, please reach out to support at support@musicteachershelper.com. Happy teaching!

]]>http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/file-area-improved/feed/3How to Make More Time for Practicinghttp://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/make-time-practicing-music/
http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/make-time-practicing-music/#commentsMon, 09 Mar 2015 21:08:23 +0000http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/?p=12373Written by Doug Hanvey, a private piano teacher from Portland, Oregon. These tips are oriented towards teachers and adult students, but a creative teacher will be able to translate these principles for their younger students. In our increasingly complex and frenetic world there seem to be endless tasks and distractions that keep us from the […]

These tips are oriented towards teachers and adult students, but a creative teacher will be able to translate these principles for their younger students.

In our increasingly complex and frenetic world there seem to be endless tasks and distractions that keep us from the things that really matter to us. If one of the things that matter is learning the piano, it would be worthwhile to occasionally reflect on how we choose to spend our time.

Endless Information and Techno-Distractions

Herbert Simon, a Nobel Prize winner, said: “A wealth of information means a scarcity of whatever that information consumes. What information consumes is attention. A wealth of information,” said Simon, “creates a poverty of attention.”

There’s more information to digest than ever before. Every day, most of us spend hours watching TV, catching up on email (many of which are a waste of time), sending texts, playing computer games, surfing the web, or some combination of these.

Our capacity and availability for giving attention is no less critical to learning the piano than it ever was, despite the fact that we live in such an attention-impoverished time.

Start an Information Diet

So what can we do? If you’re serious about becoming a better pianist, and feel that you never have enough time to practice, consider an information diet. Meaning: kill your TV. And Facebook. And Twitter. And 80% of your email. Stop mindless web surfing. And computer games.

I shall be telling this with a sighSomewhere ages and ages hence:Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference.

––Robert Frost, from The Road Not Taken

Ten years from now, would you rather have taken the road of practicing for 5,000 more hours or have spent those 5,000 hours mindlessly surfing the web and watching TV?

Which road would lead to a more fulfilling life, so that on your last day you would be able to say “I gave it my all. I chose to spend my time on what really mattered.”

You know the answer. And you know it’s up to you.

Every “Yes” Is A “No”

Have you ever realized that each time you say yes to something, you are simultaneously saying no to something else?

Each time you log on to Facebook or spend half an hour roaming the Internet, you are saying no to something that might be more productive and valuable, if you were consciously aware of your values and used them to organize your time.

In his book The 4-Hour Workweek, author Timothy Ferriss pointed out that most media is “time-consuming, negative, irrelevant to your goals, or outside of your sphere of influence.” Ferriss challenged his readers to look at what they’ve read or watched today and deny that it wasn’t one or more of these things.

For the sake of mastering your instrument, I challenge you to do the same.

8 Questions

Here’s a brief exercise to help you decide if an information diet could be useful to you. For our purposes, “media” means any combination of TV, Internet use (web surfing, emailing, instant messaging or chatting), talk radio, newspapers, magazines, books and audio books, computer games, and use of numerous other portable electronic devices (unfortunately, ways to become media-spellbound expand daily).

I purposely kept “listening to music” off the above list, but in all fairness, while it’s something every music student should be doing regularly, it too can become a distraction from actually playing. Balance is the key.

You can do this exercise by mindfully reflecting on the questions, or by writing in your journal:

Which kinds of technology and media do I consume the most?

How many minutes or hours on average do I consume media or use technology as a distraction (i.e. not for work)?

Why do I use the technology and consume the media that I consume? Is it a conscious choice or a habit?

Am I trying to avoid something by distracting myself with media? What?

Do I crave using technology or consuming media? Might I even be addicted?

Is my use of technology and media related to the sense that I don’t have enough time to practice my instrument?

How do I feel and behave after exposure to various types of media? (For example, studies indicate people usually feel more depressed after watching TV; and higher levels of Internet use have been associated with adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.)

Could reducing my use of technology and consumption of media enhance my progress as a musician?

6 Practical Tips

If you think you could benefit from reducing your reliance on technology and consumption of media, here are a few practical tips, courtesy of Ferriss:

Ask yourself about any information you are about to consume: “Will I use this information for something immediate and important?” If your intake of information is not both immediate and important, then don’t consume it. Just say no.

Practice “the art of non-finishing.” Starting to consume an information source does not justify finishing it.

Always ask: Am I being productive or just active?

Always ask: If this is the only thing I accomplish today, will I be satisfied with my day?

Never check email first thing in the morning. Get something important done first.

Try an indefinite media fast. No newspapers, magazines, audiobooks, or nonmusic radio. (Music is permitted). No news websites. No television. No web surfing at the desk unless it’s necessary to complete a work task that day.

More than a century ago, Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “There are many things of which a wise person might wish to be ignorant.” These days, his advice seems more relevant than ever. What might be worth ignoring and saying “no” to, so you can start saying “yes” to that which is more important?

Doug Hanvey offers piano lessons in Portland, Oregon. He is the author of 88 Keys to the Blues, a method which helps students master fundamental piano technique and musical skills while learning basic stylistic elements of the blues. The course builds a strong foundation for playing and improvising in blues, jazz, rock, and other popular piano styles.

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http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/new-fairyland-treble/#commentsFri, 06 Mar 2015 16:37:00 +0000http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/?p=12357The King and the Dragon! The King’s trusted advisor came bursting through the door! “My Lord, we are being attacked!” “Fear not,” said the wise old King. “We shall use my secret weapon, The Great Red Dragon!” To cut the first of eleven fairy stories short, that appear in composer Nikolas Sideris’ brand new piano duet […]

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The King’s trusted advisor came bursting through the door! “My Lord, we are being attacked!”

“Fear not,” said the wise old King. “We shall use my secret weapon, The Great Red Dragon!”

To cut the first of eleven fairy stories short, that appear in composer Nikolas Sideris’ brand new piano duet book, the King saves the day through clever trickery and wins the respect of his people!

After I finished reading this two paged story, one of eleven written especially by Nefeli Tsipouridi, I couldn’t wait to turn over the page and start playing the first composition in the book. I was inspired!

But oh no! I was alone at the piano and this is a duet book!

Fortunately, thanks to modern technology, each primo part has a QR code on the side of the title, so all I needed to do was hold my tablet up and the next moment a well-recorded performance of the composer playing the secondo part began to my delight. (There is a link in the introductory pages of the book that you can visit to download the mp3 files if you prefer)

And wow, what an adventure! With the words of the story I had just read still ringing in my ears, I was transported to the centre of the scene with composer, Nikolas Sideris’, evocative music. We battled evil forces with every twist and turn and triumphed on high as the piece came to its conclusion.

This book is unlike any music book I have ever come across. Not only am I super impressed with the quality of the compositions; a welcome break in the dry desert of piano duet repertoire, but its unique approach of eleven stories presented before each piece, will be hugely inspiring to the young piano student. No more struggling to coax out musicality. Even the most “average” student will be inspired to perform with feeling in a very natural and organic way.

This book represents a wonder musical adventure just waiting to happen for early intermediate to advanced students with such a wide variety of styles to capture their imagination. The concept is truly unique and I can see that not only will it entertain students, teachers and families alike but will provide a fabulous way to develop creative interpretation skills into the bargain. I think that Nikolas Sideris’ piano duet book “Fairyland in Treble” is a superb music teaching tool and I wait with interest to see what other unique concept music books he comes up with in the future. He’s definitely a composer to watch!

“Fairyland in Treble!” comes in the form of a 72 paged book printed on tough, high-quality paper with the most beautiful cover by the artist Marcus Krupa.

To watch the composer perform all the duets with Miriam Kornberg, click here.

]]>http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/new-fairyland-treble/feed/6Performance-Enhancing Apps for Your Studentshttp://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/performance-enhancing-apps-for-your-students/
http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/performance-enhancing-apps-for-your-students/#commentsMon, 02 Mar 2015 13:50:41 +0000http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/?p=12260‘Tis the season of preparing students for upcoming contests, festivals and recitals. Here are four performance-enhancing apps that promise to help you help your students to do their best. The Camera simulates the presence of a real audience more than you, the teacher, can provide during a lesson. Once that camera starts rolling, students move […]

Warning: DOMDocument::loadHTML() [domdocument.loadhtml]: htmlParseEntityRef: expecting ';' in Entity, line: 1 in /home/admin/wp/wp-content/plugins/hammy/hammy.php on line 116‘Tis the season of preparing students for upcoming contests, festivals and recitals. Here are four performance-enhancing apps that promise to help you help your students to do their best.

The Camera simulates the presence of a real audience more than you, the teacher, can provide during a lesson. Once that camera starts rolling, students move into a performance zone and are forced to commit to seeing the piece through with musicality and as few errors as possible. The beauty of the camera is that musicians can see and hear the instant replay, make self-assessments and learn from their mistakes. It’s like a digital mirror that reflects EVERYTHING you may be trying to reinforce at lessons. Bonus? It comes free with any smart phone or tablet!

As students prepare a piece for an upcoming deadline, encourage them to search for and watch YouTube videos of others performing the same piece. Yes, it can be intimidating when an artist is simply amazing and above and beyond what your students might be able to play. However, viewing peers of more “equal” playing abilities perform an identical piece equips students with discerning ears. It helps them to compare, contrast and make decisions on how they desire their own performances to sound.

This souped-up metronome called Practice+ provides a steady beat but in addition, it records students playing with the steady tick. When performers listen to the recording, they hear their alignment to a steady beat and may be surprised to observe that they are racing ahead or lagging behind. Here’s another tool to reinforce what you’ve been “preaching “over and over again. You can even email or text the recordings for student review between lessons.

Keep going! We encourage our students to move through a mistake, recover and keep playing during a performance. Piano Maestro is an app that trains musicians to read and play music along with a catchy backing track, provides instant feedback and tracks progress. The app features an ever-expanding library of repertoire including the latest pop tunes and even method books like the Alfred Premier Piano Course. Although there are practice modes in which the app will wait for the player to lower the correct note on a piano or keyboard, the only way players can earn rewards and access more challenging pieces is by performing a piece at the required tempo with zero to few errors. Piano Maestro allows students to practice under performance-like conditions within a fun-packed, arcade-style environment. The gamification of performance pressure reinforces your coaching and can definitely boost on-stage confidence.

Do you have more suggestions to add to this list of apps that enhance performance readiness?